“FIGHTING AGAINST GOD”

The Cross is a sign and symbol of obedience. The Cross is the gate through which the believer enters the Kingdom of God, Eternal Life. This is certainly the goal of every Orthodox Christian. Our earthly life is a time given by Our Creator to prepare ourselves spiritually for His Heavenly Kingdom. Somehow we are all distracted and instead act as though our earthly life is our goal. The reality, however, is that this earthly life of ours is temporary for all of us will one day die whether prepared or not. No one can escape the inevitable and the end of our earthly existence. At the Orthodox Christian funeral service, we chant: “All human things are vanity, which do not survive a person’s death; riches do not go with us, nor does glory accompany us on the way; for when death comes upon us, all of these shall vanish, indeed.” It is a good thing for all Christians to meditate upon death. Saint Philotheos, one of the holy Fathers and an Egoumenos (Abbot) of the famous Monastery of Sinai, gives a remarkable summary of the benefits which the soul receives when it meditates upon death. Saint Philotheos writes: “Vivid mindfulness of death embraces many virtues. It begets grief; it promotes the exercise of self-control in all things; it is a reminder of hell; it is the mother of prayer and tears; it induces guarding of the heart and detachment from material things; it is a source of attentiveness and discrimination. These in their turn produce the twofold fear of God. In addition, the purging of impassioned thoughts from the heart embraces many of the Lord’s commandments.”

When one succumbs to the enticements of the world he or she is enslaved by them. The person becomes a willing hostage of this world and all its vices. It is tragic that the cares of life and daily activity fill us with stress, anxiety, and worry, the vain concerns of this world, as well as sin and its constant enticements. All of these unnecessary challenges in our life prevent us to imprint Christ’s Divine words upon our hearts. Something that the great Saints of our Church were able to achieve and for this reason they were able to shine with splendor in the present life. But they also shine there in eternity like beacons, as for example Saint John the Merciful (or Alms-Giver), Patriarch of Alexandria, of whom is said: “In order to inscribe the memory of death in his mind and to NOT to forget death on account of his many responsibilities he ordered to have his tomb built, but not to be completed; it was to remain incomplete. He also requested of those who built it to come to him whenever there was some great official holiday when he would be wearing his splendid hierarchical vestments that gave him so much glory. At such times when he was in danger of forgetting death and doing something displeasing to God, these men would stand before him and all those present to declare openly: “Master, your tomb is until today incomplete; Give us permission to complete it, for it is unknown at what hour death is coming..” This is how the great Saints thought and acted to avoid pride over the temporal and vain glory of this world, but also to remember death.

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ let us stop fighting against God but instead let us embrace Him with faith, agape, humility, and obedience. Let us become His willing slaves and be willing to take up our cross and follow Him. His love for all of us is unconditional and therefore let also our love for Him be unconditional and true. The Orthodox Christian seeks always peace. Peace with God and peace with one another!

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“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Glorious and Divine Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George